1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel phenoxyacetic acid derivatives and plant growth regulating agents containing them as active ingredients.
2. Discussion of Background
It is known that certain phenoxyacetic acids having substitutents (particularly halogen atoms) on their phenyl rings and derivatives thereof exhibit plant growth regulating activities, and they are useful as herbicides (German Patent No. 1019234). Further, it is known that such plant growth regulating activities are strong particularly when at least one of ortho-positions on the phenyl rings is unsubstituted, and 2,6-di-substituted products usually show relatively weak activities only (J. Agr. Food Chem., 2(19), 996, (1954)). Further, a method for controlling growth of a plant is also known wherein a 2,6-di-substituted phenyl ring compound is employed (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 116639/1975). However, the plant growth regulating activities of the substance used here are not necessarily adequate.